|
candidates with conflicting beliefs Regarding NEA support of abortion and pro-abortion candidates, Charles W. Baird, Professor of Economics at California State University, says that "as I understand [Pope John Paul II], unions leave their legitimate spheres of influence when they…become involved in these public policy issues instead of securing the legitimate rights of workers."1 Confirming its political agenda, the NEA Task Force on Sexual Orientation (TFSO) believes the NEA should "develop, and make available to affiliates, model legislation" for prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, and "offer legal, technical, and other support services to affiliates that are seeking to enact this type of state/local legislation where it does not exist, and to strengthen such legislation where it does exist."2 Education policy experts explain that "membership dues from the general fund are used to support [the NEA's liberal] agenda both directly (e.g., soft-money contributions to the Democratic party) and indirectly (e.g., paying political staff, purchasing materials used to collect NEA-Fund assets, employing political directors who coordinate fund-raising, setting up computer networks, and printing or distributing literature asking for PAC contributions)."3 In the same manner, each year the WEA’s Political Action Committee (WEA-PAC) reports receiving “in-kind” contributions from the WEA general fund, which is financed through member dues. These contributions are usually in the form of employee services, consulting services, legal fees, meeting expenses, overhead, and supplies. The value of employee services alone usually exceeds $10,000 per month. Between 2000 and 2003 the WEA contributed over $900,000 from its general fund to the WEA-PAC.4 According to the Washington Times, the NEA's chief lobbyist openly admits the NEA will try to replace President Bush with a 'pro-education' Democratic president in 2004 by targeting the 16 most contested states of the 2000 elections.5 Randall J. Moody, the NEA's federal policy manager, expresses the same sentiment by saying, "we may find some right-wing Republicans that we can take out" in House and Senate races. Moody also says the NEA will recruit "moderate" House and Senate candidates; conduct polling and raise funds for candidates it supports; provide direct mail to members; and "turn out the vote." During the 2000 presidential race, the NEA sponsored four paid political operatives to work on the Al Gore Florida campaign. Forms filed with the Federal Election Commission show the union spent more than $1 million on phone calls, email, and direct mail efforts to support Gore in the first two weeks of October alone -- all in one state. The Education Policy Institute notes that the NEA "employs more full-time paid political operatives than the Democratic and Republican parties combined."6 The Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values says that "while NEA resolutions do not directly effect policy changes -- they are merely statements of philosophical belief -- the union members' collective might often carries weight in legislative arenas."7 By way of proof, the NEA ranked as the third-largest contributor to political candidates and organizations in the entire nation during the 1998 elections -- and of the NEA's $3.4 million contribution, 95% went to Democrats and 5% to Republicans.8 But these numbers fall short of reflecting the true diversity within the NEA. In fact, the NEA conducted a survey of its own membership to determine voter registration,9 and found the following results:
A similar survey of union members taken by the National Center for Education Information10 found these results:
Yet still the NEA leadership team endorsed Bill Clinton for President by 88 percent in 1992.11 And since 1979, the NEA has only endorsed and provided resources for the election of Democratic presidential candidates. The NEA's presence at the National Party Conventions is also heavily slanted toward liberal politics, as the following numbers of NEA Delegates and Alternates indicate:12
Dan Cronin, director of legal information for the National Right to Work Foundation, is also concerned that the NEA strongly supports so many pro-abortion justices. "The main point here is they're using dues that were confiscated from workers -- who had to pay these dues in order to get or keep a job as a condition of employment -- to support a radical social agenda that a lot of their members don't agree with."13 In light of this evidence, it's hard to believe former NEA President Keith Geiger's claim: "As one of the most democratic organizations in the world, NEA policy reflects the different perspectives of the association's vast and diverse membership and the students they serve." 1 Charles W. Baird, Regarding My Religious Beliefs Concerning
Unions, September 24, 2001. |